RERAMIC STUDIO 
163 
No. 8. 
on of the design of a chalice found in old do< 
des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, 1883-84. 
tents in Montfaucon 
the year 813, it would be a serious mistake to believe that 
tin was not used before that time. Illustration No. 8 
represents an old chalice, perhaps two hundred years older 
than the Council of Rheims. At least Bapst in his "Study 
of Pewter" attributes this work to the VII., but other 
critics think it belongs to the XII. Century. However 
this may be, there is undeniable proof that the art of 
decorating pewter was encouraged by the Church, and that 
theologians ranked this beautiful metal next to gold and 
silver. 
Cruets, ampullae, chrismatories, and all the access- 
ories of the cult were nearly always of pewter. The same 
metal was used in the reproduction of the insignia of 
ecclesiastical dignitaries. In excavations made at (lif- 
erent periods, tombs of bishops have been discovered, 
which contained pewter crosiers, an exact reproduction 
of those used by the bishops during their life. The use 
Pewter spoon — Gallo-Roman period — Front and side views. 
Belongs to J. Brateau. 
tary, to decorate their vases or fibulae, or to protect the 
buckles of their belts from oxidation. During the Mero- 
vingian period*, the custom of tinning was general, so much 
so that nine-tenths of the objects of these times found in 
excavations are buckles for clothing, or plates for sword 
belts, all being tinned. Tin was applied in thin coats to 
the hard, resisting brass, giving it a whiteness and brilliancy 
which were lasting 
The Franks do not seem to have known tin utensils. 
Gold and silver were reserved for the chiefs while the sol- 
diers used bowls of wood or of clay. 
Incrustations of tin were in favor with the Mero- 
vingians, as nearly all excavated objects show, but there 
does not remain a trace of what we have called pewter 
pottery. We must wait until the introduction of Chris- 
tianity into Gaul to find mention of pewter vases. These 
vases were chalices, which at first were of wood, glass, 
tin, gilded' copper, even of lead, or of horn. The Council 
of Rheims (803-813) gives rules for the use of pewter in 
chalices. It tolerates this metal in cases of poverty, pre- 
scribes the use of gold and silver when possible, and for- 
bids the employment of all other materials. Though we 
have no documents regarding church vessels previous to 
*G. Bapst 
No. 9. 
Pewter crosier of Robert de Torigny-XII. Century-found in his tomb (Abbaye 
du Mont St. Michel. Ed. Corroyer, Architecte. We are.indebted to Mrs. 
Corroyer for the right of reproducing all illustrations from M. Cor- 
royer's book.) 
